The present invention relates to an ink for ink jet recording apparatuses and also to an image forming method.
It has been strongly desired for inkjet recording apparatuses to increase the image forming speed without compromising image quality. Unfortunately, when an inkjet recording apparatus performs image forming at a high speed, a recording medium, such as paper, may be passed between a pair of ejection rollers to be ejected before the ink is permeated into the recording medium. Ink adhered to the ejection rollers (offset) may adhere to a recording medium, which may increase the risk of poor imaging.
The risk of poor imaging resulting from the offset may be suppressed by reducing the ejection amount of the ink. However, this arrangement may make it difficult to form images having a desired density. In view of the above, to suppress occurrence of the offset while ensuring formation of images having a desired density, numerous studies have been made on compounds which can be contained in an ink to improve permeability of the ink into a recording medium.
Compounds suggested as having an effect of improving permeability of the ink into a recording medium includes a compound containing straight-chain alkanol to which a specific amount of ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide is added. Further, an ink containing the compound is also suggested.